Square-can-capping machine



1,446,590. c. T. SMALL.

SQUARE CAN CAPPING MACHINE. l

FILED SEPT. 27. 1920. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

entre@ narrar orties.

CHESLEY T. SMALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN ST. LOUIS, OF S'I. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SQUARE-CAN-CP?ING MACHINE.

Application filed September 27, 1920.

To all -w/lom it may concern Be it known that I, Ci-rnsL-nr T. SMALL,

`a citizen ot the United States` ot inerica,

residing at the city ot St. Louis, State ot Missouri, United `States ot America, hare invented a certain new and nsetul Square- Can-Capping Machine, ot which the 'follow Ving is such a full, ciear, and exact descrip can capping machines and is particularly adapted for use in connection with machines otl the type shown and described in application, Serial No. 321,004 ot September 2, 1919.

lVhen can capping machines ci the type above referred to are used to apply caps to square cans or other cans having iiat sides, it has been found that the flanges ot the caps and upper edges oi the can are likely to bend out of a straight line. It the iianges of the cap are bent outwardly and the flanges of the can bent inwardly, this occasions no ditliculty. The reverse of this, however, more ol'ten occurs as the flanges of the caps are more likely to be bent inward than outward and the weight of the material in the cans tends to bend the sides outward. IVhen this latter condition loccurs it will be obvious that the flanges of the cap will strike against the upper edge of the can, when the a p is forced in position, thus injuring either the cap or can, or both. One of the objects ot` my invention is to provide simple and etl'ective means of 'overcoming this diiliculty by insuring the inward bending ot the upper edges ot the can and the outward bending ol' the flanges ot the cap. My invention also provides effective means .tor centering the can in the cap positioning` member whether the cans are square, round or any other form.

In the accompanying drawings which show as much ot a can capping machine as is necessary to illustrate my invention, l? ig. l is a vertical central section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section `of one of the cap plnngers. Fig 3 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, of the can positioning mechanism. F ig. l is a section taken on the line {Ji- 4f ot Fig, 3. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view ot one ot the capping' plungers, and Fig. 6 is Serial No. 413,187.

a diagrammatic view illustrating the `operation of the device. f

indicates a vertical rotating shaft carry ing a disc 1l having formed in its edge notches 12 which, together with an attached member which will be hereinafter particularly described. forms the cap positioning mea-ns. Carried by the shaft 10 above the disc 11 is a second disc 13 in which are spring mounted capping spindle 141, operating to torce the caps on the cans by means ot a cam track 15. The track 15 is prevented from rotating by engagement with the stationary upright 16 of the machine. A third disc 17 is carried by the shaft 10 below the disc 11 and is adapted to position the cans upon can tables 18 operated by suitable lever mechanism (not shown). All the above mentioned parts are similar to those shown and described in my prior application above referred to. l

Secured to the disc 11 is an annular niember 20 preferably 'formed in two or more parts for convenience in application to theI machine. Formed in the annular member 20 are a number of 'openings 21 corresponding in size and shape to the cap to be applied to the can. In the present instance these openings are shown as square.V vSurrounding each of the openings 21 is a downwardly extending iange 22. The upper partof the opening` 21 is provided with a beveled portion 23 for guiding the cap, a lower beveled portion 24E for guiding a can and a straight portion 25 connecting the bevels 23 and 2;l-. Arranged at the center of each side ot the opening 21 and preferably at the point ot' junction of the faces 241 and 25 is a ball 2G which is adapted to project into the opening a slight distance beyond the wall 25.

',lhese balls are preferably ot hardened steel such as are coi'nnionly used in ball bearings. The balls 2G are held in position either b v flat springs 27 or coil springs 28, the latter being` placed between adjacent flanges 22.

Carried on the lower end of the plunger spindle 14 is a plunger 30 havinogits lower tace so arranged that the central part pro jects below the periphery. This is preterably accomplished by forming` the lower 'face convex as shown at 31.

In the operation of Vmy device, the cap is fed o-nto the upper face of the disc 20 by any suitable mechanism (not shown).

The cap 32 is positioned by the said disc 2() and the notch l2 in the dise ll so as to be 'forced down upon the can 34 by means of the plunger 2l. 'lhe openings 2l are made olf such size that the canv caps will just pass through the opening without undue friction provided they retain their normal form. However, as has been heretoitore pointed out angular caps of thin sheet metal do not retain their 'form perfectly, on the contrary the lower edges ot' their tlanges 33 tend to assume a wavy line. lhese portions which project outside et the normal line will, therefore, come in contact with the inclined Afaces and retard the cap so that the lower curved face of the-plunger 31 will force the central part "W o1n the cap downwardly and cause it to assume a conj cave form as shown diagrammatically in Figure G of the drawings. As the angle between the body and flange of the cap tendsto remain a right angle, the flanges will tend to bend outwardly as shown in this ligure.

.Actually, however, this movement et the lla-nge is limited'by the vertical walls 25 so that the practical effect-foi the. device will be to cause the flange to adhere closely to the said vertical walls 25. Vllhen the can let is forced upward into a cap positioning member, the balls 26 will act on the center of its sides so as to cause the said sides` to curve inwardly as shown in Fig. 6, and thus insure the edges passing within the flange of the cap. lThe form et' the balls is such as to prevent injury to the Vsides of the can, or to the flange oft the cap whenl the cap is forced downwardly out ot the device. Y,

Inl addition to the 'function of my device in preventing injury to straight sided caps and cans the yielding balls provide effective .centering means t'or round, square or other form of can, and at the same time do not interfere with the discharge of the capped can.

Ilaving fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent et the United States is:

l. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a cap positioning` member ceive the topy of a receptacle to. which the cap is to be applied, of yielding projections situated intermediate ot the length et the sides oi said opening 'for centering the receptacle and torcing the sides thereot to curve inwardly.

hln a device of the class described, the combination with a cap positioning lmember having an angular opening for the passage ot a cap and adapted to receive the top of a receptacle to which cap is to be applied, of yielding rounded projections carried by said member and positioned approximately at the central points et its sides for centering the receptacle. y

fr. In a device of the class described, the combination with a` member having an opening provided with flat sides for the passage of a cap and adapted to receive the top of a receptacle to which said cap is to be applied, ot rounded yielded projections situated intermediate of the length of the sides ot' said opening for centering said receptacle and forcing the sides thereof to curve inwardly. y

5. In a device et the class described, the combination with a member having an opening for the passage ot a cap and adapted to receive the top of @receptacle to which said cap is to be applied, of spring mounted balls carried by said members and adapted to center the receptacle in said opening.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a member having an opening provided with flat sides for the passage ot a cap and adapted to receive the top ol a receptacle to which said cap is to be applied, of spring mounted ballsfcarried by said member and adapted to bear on the sides or' the receptacle to centervsaid receptacle and torce the sides thereof vto curve inwardly. y

7.` The combination witha cap positioning member provided with an openingk having flat sides tor the passage of a cap and adapted to receive the top of a receptacle to which its cap is to be'applied, ofa plunger 'for forcing the capthrough said opening', said plunger having its central part projecting beyond its periphery 'tor forcing the sides et said cap outwardly.

8. The combination with. a member hav-- ing an o-pening providedv with lat sides for the passage of a cap and adapted to re ceive the top of a receptacle to which said cap is to be applied, ot a plunger for forel` ing the cap through said opening, said plun ger having a convex tace forA forcing the sides ot the cap outwardly. V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand andaiiixed my seal.`

oHnsLEY T. SMALL. [c aj 

